Closing Date: 15th October, 2026
Description:
Job Description and Duties:The Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD) is currently seeking one or two candidates to join its dynamic team as Barry P. Helft Appellate Fellow Attorneys. Ideal candidates for the Fellowship position will be newly admitted to the California Bar or in their first few years of practice. If you have a commitment to working on behalf of the most marginalized Californians, excellent writing skills, and a willingness to challenge yourself with high-level capital and non-capital defense appellate work, please join us.
Barry P. Helft worked nearly 50 years in the practice of law and spent 25 of those years at OSPD. His name is attached to this fellowship as the embodiment of the vow that OSPD lawyers make to their clients to provide the best representation available. OSPD fulfills that promise by providing the mentorship and training our attorneys need to become the best appellate litigators they can be. Barry made the same promise to each lawyer he trained: Regardless of your skill level when starting at OSPD, you will be a better lawyer when you leave than you were when you started. The goal of this fellowship is to continue to fulfill the promise to the next generation of appellate defenders.
The Barry P. Helft Fellow Attorney is a limited-term appointment in OSPD's Appellate Division Fellowship Program. Fellows are employed at will, and the total term of employment is up to 24 months, subject to funding availability. Under direct supervision from an Attorney Supervisor, or a designee, fellows perform a wide variety of challenging legal work, including (1) providing high-quality and effective assistance of counsel to indigent persons who are appealing their criminal convictions in the California Courts of Appeal and/or the California Supreme Court; (2) drafting amicus briefs and/or letters filed by OSPD on matters crucial to the development of criminal law as it relates to indigent defendants; (3) assisting in developing arguments in support of systemic litigation to address inequities in the criminal justice system.
Applicants for the Attorney Fellowship class must be active members of the California Bar. Candidates in their last year of law school or who have not yet taken or passed the California State Bar exam may apply to the Graduate Legal Assistant class at JC-524236.
For more information on the Barry P. Helft Fellowship: Click Here (https://www.ospd.ca.gov/careers/barry-p-helft-fellowship/)
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=33394067&name=2a.AttorneyFellow(5778)2027Fellowship.pdf)
Working Conditions:
OSPD has two regional offices located in Oakland and Sacramento.
- The Oakland office is located downtown in a modern high-rise building near the 12th Street BART station, not to mention a variety of delicious restaurants.
- The Sacramento office is located downtown in a modern high-rise building near SacRT Light Rail stations, Downtown Commons, and plenty of shopping.
Due to the nature of the position, appellate attorneys are sometimes required to work nights, weekends and other non-traditional schedules. Absent unusual circumstances, certain duties must be performed in person, such as oral arguments, moot courts, and visiting detention facilities. For this position, it will be the responsibility of the attorney, in coordination with their supervisor, to ensure that any remote work they perform complies with the ethical obligations of attorneys and court requirements.
This position requires travel to clients, conferences, meetings, and training events up to 10% of the time and includes occasional overnight travel, up to a week. Travel is primarily by automobile but also includes occasional train, airplane, or public transportation.
Minimum Requirements:
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
Attorney (https://hrnet.calhr.ca.gov/CalHRNet/SpecCrossReference.aspx?ClassID=5778)
Additional Documents
Department Information:
The OSPD is legislatively mandated to focus its resources on postconviction appellate representation in death penalty cases and improving indigent defense in California by providing assistance and training to local public defender systems.
Mission Statement
OSPD's mission is to advocate zealously for the underrepresented, particularly those facing capital sentence, while empowering the broader defense community to ensure effective and equitable representation for all.
Diversity Statement
OSPD is committed to promoting a workplace rooted in the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. We can best serve our clients and stakeholders when we have a diverse staff that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived experiences, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our colleagues.
An inclusive culture improves the quality of our work lives and makes us better advocates for our clients and better colleagues to each other. We are continually growing and are committed to equitable, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory hiring practices.
OSPD encourages applications from all qualified individuals of any race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and veteran status.
OSPD is recognized by the State Bar of California as a gold tier recipient of the DEI Leadership Seal Program for its on-going commitment to advancing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion for all staff through evidence-based actions.
Department Website: http://www.ospd.ca.gov/
Application Instructions:
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 10/15/2026
Who May Apply:
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How to Apply:
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Attorney (https://hrnet.calhr.ca.gov/CalHRNet/SpecCrossReference.aspx?ClassID=5778)
Additional Documents
- Job Application Package Checklist (http://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobApplicationPackageChecklist.aspx?JobControlId=526084)
- Duty Statement (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=33394067&name=2a.AttorneyFellow(5778)2027Fellowship.pdf)
Department Information:
The OSPD is legislatively mandated to focus its resources on postconviction appellate representation in death penalty cases and improving indigent defense in California by providing assistance and training to local public defender systems.
Mission Statement
OSPD's mission is to advocate zealously for the underrepresented, particularly those facing capital sentence, while empowering the broader defense community to ensure effective and equitable representation for all.
Diversity Statement
OSPD is committed to promoting a workplace rooted in the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. We can best serve our clients and stakeholders when we have a diverse staff that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived experiences, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our colleagues.
An inclusive culture improves the quality of our work lives and makes us better advocates for our clients and better colleagues to each other. We are continually growing and are committed to equitable, inclusive, and nondiscriminatory hiring practices.
OSPD encourages applications from all qualified individuals of any race, color, religion, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, age, and veteran status.
OSPD is recognized by the State Bar of California as a gold tier recipient of the DEI Leadership Seal Program for its on-going commitment to advancing workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion for all staff through evidence-based actions.
Department Website: http://www.ospd.ca.gov/
Application Instructions:
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 10/15/2026
Who May Apply:
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How to Apply:
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Office of the State Public Defender
Human Resources Office
Attn: LD Gutierrez
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Human Resources Office
Attn: LD Gutierrez
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Office of the State Public Defender
Human Resources Office
LD Gutierrez
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Human Resources Office
LD Gutierrez
770 L Street, Suite 1000
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is